


the fire that binds

by aelins



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fire, i guess that's a trigger, not for elucien lovers!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:47:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelins/pseuds/aelins
Summary: In a post 9/11 world Elain signs up the military. A fire changes her life forever.
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel
Kudos: 11





	the fire that binds

I had never intended to serve my country in a way that required such dire sacrifice. I was the second daughter of a wealthy man on Wall Street. But then… the Two Towers were hit and our world was at war. I was seventeen when the towers went down and the next year, on my eighteenth birthday I joined the Army. 

Nesta, my older sister had a two-year nursing degree already and had enlisted six months previously. 

I had always been so quiet and shy. The Two Towers hit very close to our apartment in New York City. Something about it stoked the patriot in me. 

I was off to basic training before I knew it. 

The next three months passed in a whirlwind of shooting exercises, physical training, and learning skills I never thought I would have to. 

I graduated from basic training at the top of my class. I chose to work in military intelligence. 

There were months and months of background checks, polygraphs you name it they tested me for it. They all seemed so surprised that a woman could have enough fortitude to stay in the desert and work through graphs and charts. 

I finally arrived on base in Iraq nine months after I enlisted. 

I was lead to a part of the base where the officers were and introduced to my commanding officer. I knew this wasn’t standard protocol but I guess they thought I was special. 

I stood at full attention and waited for him to finish writing something. 

He shook his head and stood to greet me. “At ease, soldier.” 

I didn’t know who he was, no one had told me. “You may address me as Captain Night.” 

“Yessir,” I said. 

“I heard you were quite the prodigy.” 

“I aim to be, sir.” 

“Prodigies are broken too easily in this line of work. It takes grit to get by, so get ready to put your nose to the grindstone.” He looked me in the eye, his hazel eyes catching the light.

  
  


“Yessir.” 

He dismissed me and I went to set up my bunk and see how many bunkmates I had. 

I shared a bunk with three other girls. Grrreat. 

They didn’t waste any time putting me to work. I got reports and started filing through them, it was tiring work but it kept me out of the line of fire.

I eventually made friends, one guy, Lucien Vanserra was completely sweet on me. His friend Tamlin was good company. 

Things went smoothly at the base for months. Lucien was my rank so we were allowed to date. 

Then, around lunchtime on a cold winter morning, an SUV with a suicide bomber attacked the base. The SUV had been packed to overflowing with C4 and a large part of the base was on fire. 

I was stuck in the mess hall with fire barring the doors on all sides. I thought to myself that this is how my life would end. The smoke was choking me, I would probably die of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

I tried to hold my breath but to no avail. The world was getting dark, I said a prayer and watched as some of the guys, Lucien included tried to break down the door. They were being burned up though. I ran to Lucien, not caring if I was burnt. He hugged me and kissed me. 

There was a blast of fire foam and Captain Night came rushing in. I heard him shouting orders to the people who had come to our aid. Everything went black. 

*~*~*

I woke up in the base’s infirmary, attached to an oxygen mask, and a drip of morphine. Pain registered. My hands! Oh by the Mother! 

My eyes fluttered open and I expected to see Lucien there… but it was Captain Night sitting by my bedside. 

I pulled off the oxygen mask and asked, “Excuse me, Captain, what are you doing here?” 

He smiled sadly. I noticed his hands were also burnt. 

“Just wanted to see how you were doing. You were the only one who survived your injuries in the mess hall.” 

_ What! _

“But… Sergeant Vanserra?” 

Captain Night smiled sadly. “Carbon monoxide poisoning, he didn’t make it.” 

I didn’t want to cry in front of an officer. I turned up my morphine drip, I couldn’t-wouldn’t be conscious for this. 

I was just about asleep when Captain Night placed a kiss on my forehead, I was too drowsy to do anything about it. 

The days passed slowly and I grieved for Lucien. We had only been dating a few months. We’d never had sex, just kisses, and hugs. Still… I’d been infatuated with him. 

*~*~*

I was honorably discharged from the Army, I couldn’t use a gun and they cited that I was no longer fit for duty. It was a crushing blow. Captain Night was also honorably discharged for the same reason. 

On my last day on base, after I had healed, I went to his office. 

“I never thanked you for saving my life,” I said to him. He stood from his chair, his impressive height towering over me. 

“I never thanked you for not dying on me.” He said and brought his lips down on mine. His lips were soft and he cupped his hand over my cheek. I didn’t open my mouth to him, my grief was still too fresh. I had always thought the Captain had… a soft spot for me. I pulled away from the kiss and wrote down my phone number for him. 

“Just- call me if you ever want to see the sights in New York City.” 

He looked stunned. His hazel eyes glowed though. “Will do.” 

I walked out of his office and didn’t look back. 

*~*~*

My hands were fully healed, they looked… awful. My father had been horrified, scratch that  _ I was horrified _ . 

But I had my life. I opened a flower shop in Manhattan, it was my father’s coming home present for me. We’d had a small garden on the roof of our building. I had always tended it in my pre-war years. The day the flower shop opened I recognized a familiar face in line. 

“Captain Night,” I said, in greeting. 

“Please, call me Azriel.” 

I blushed. “What can I get for you?” 

“A dozen pink tulips.” 

I started getting the flowers together and arranging them. I wrapped them with a pastel purple ribbon. I put them in a flower bag and handed them to him. 

He paid and I thought… what a strange coincidence that he would be here… 

When I got done with my first day at the flower shop there were a dozen pink tulips, wrapped in a purple bow and a small note attached to them waiting by my door. 

_ My dearest Elain,  _

_ I would be honored if you could join me for dinner tonight. Please text me at 123-456-7890 to confirm or deny. I have missed you dearly.  _

_ Azriel _

I texted him and confirmed. 

Goodness gracious what was I going to wear!!! 

I put the tulips in water and started rummaging through my closet. I wanted to wear pink. I found a thigh length cocktail dress, pink, with a plunging neckline. Oh yes! 

It was already six so I showered and blow dried my hair. I started braiding it and put on my dress. At seven Azriel texted me “I’m here”.

I walked out and didn’t really know what to expect. Both of us were being compensated for our injuries but I knew he must be getting a much more sizable check than me. 

He was driving a brand new black Honda Civic. It was nice. I got in the car and hugged him. 

There was a slight flush to his tan cheeks. It made my heart flutter. 

We drove off and went to an Italian place across town. Midtown was a nice change of scenery from my stuffy neck of the woods. 

He held my hand at dinner. He flirted and to my utter shock, I flirted back with him. His body was still a toned and lean mass of muscles. I had lost weight while recovering from my injuries and was just starting to put it back on. 

Never once did we talk about the Army. 

I had two glasses of wine, way more than I was used to, and Azriel held my hand firmly as we walked out of the restaurant. 

He drove me home and I’d had such a good time with him I didn’t want it to end. I leaned in and kissed him. He tasted like the chocolate mints we’d had at the restaurant. He opened his mouth and caressed my tongue. We tangled our tongues together and I pressed my hand to his chest. I felt the steadying  _ thump-thump _ of his heart there. I pulled away from him and caught my breath. 

I squeezed his hand and said, “You want to come up?” 

The heat that had spread up his cheeks practically glowed under the street lamps. 

“Elain… I don’t know...” Azriel seemed to be conflicted. 

“Please?” I said, giving him a puppy pout. 

“Yeah, ok.” 

*~*~* 

I had no idea what had come over me. Azriel and I were kissing on the couch. I could feel his hardness and I was wet. I was twenty years old and still a virgin. I had no idea how old Azriel was but… I imagined he was…  _ experienced _ . 

I was straddling him, fully clothed and I ground down on him, just to see what it would be like. 

A delicious groan worked its way out of his throat. “Elain… is that what you want to do?” 

“Yes, please,” I begged. The haze from the wine had worn off and I knew I still wanted to. 

He picked me up bridal style and carried me to my bedroom. I turned on the lamp. Azriel unzipped my dress and I shimmied out of it and his jaw dropped. I wanted to say I wasn’t much to look at. I needed to gain some weight, my breasts were petite and there was only a subtle curve to my ass. I wasn’t wearing a bra or panties. It must’ve looked like I’d been planning to get some tonight but that was the farthest thing from the truth. 

Azriel didn’t seem to mind. I worked his dress shirt off him, accidentally popping one of the buttons, he kicked off his trousers and I saw his length making quite the tent in his boxers. 

I kissed him again and whispered in his ear, “I’m a virgin.” 

He went rigid. “Elain, I can’t be your first time.” 

“Yes, you can,” I said. 

“I thought… maybe you’d been with other…” He shook his head; it wasn’t a good root to go down. “I don’t deserve you.” 

“Yes, you  _ do _ . And don’t start with that crap. You saved my life!” I said fiercely. 

He shrunk back from me. “It’s going to hurt, I don’t want to cause you pain.” 

“Az…” I said softly. “Come here.” 

He did as I asked and laid down on the other side of the bed. I kissed him until our tongues were a tangle and he was moaning. I broke the kiss and whispered in his ear, “I want you, Az, I want you inside me and I want you in my world.” He gave a groan and flipped us. 

His hazel eyes reflected his need for me. He pulled his boxers down and slipped a single finger inside me. I gasped. My hands went to his shoulders and felt the muscle there. 

He added a second finger and I bucked toward him, impaling myself on his fingers. He pulled them out, wrapped his throbbing cock in a condom, and kissed me sweetly. “I know it can hurt the first time,” He held my hand out to the side, “Squeeze my hand if it hurts too much and you can always tell me to stop.” 

I nodded and he lined us up and sunk his cock straight to the hilt. 

I gasped. He knew better than to move right away. “Just one more second,” I asked of him 

I watched as he pressed one of his hands to my clit and…electricity shot up my spine. He started moving, at first slow, shallow strokes to get me used to him being inside me. Then he went deeper and never once did he move his hand from my clit. 

His movements were always agile but he moved with more force than before. My breasts bounced as he pushed into me.  _ Oh my-! _

My first orgasm came and I was at a loss. I had never felt this toe-curling, mind-blowing feeling before and it was… amazing. I hadn’t realized it but Azriel’s strokes were getting deeper and faster. He must be close. I pulled him in for a kiss and I felt him spasm inside me.

There was no time to savor the moment though and he rolled off me and disposed of the condom. He pulled me into his arms, we were both sweaty. 

I laid there in his arms until we both fell off to sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> leave feedback if you enjoyed!


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